Wild signs Fridley native to one-year deal

The Wild has dipped into the college free-agent market for another local talent.

Fridley native Jarod Palmer has signed a one-year deal worth about $700,000. Palmer, 24, a versatile 6-foot forward, led Miami University in scoring his senior season with 18 goals and 45 points in 44 games. He helped lead Miami to the Frozen Four in each of the past two seasons and scored 137 points in 169 collegiate games.

Palmer joins Nate Prosser (Colorado College), who hails from Elk River, and Casey Wellman (UMass), who hails from Brentwood, Calif., as recent college free-agent pickups by the Wild.

Palmer’s contract includes a $90,000 signing bonus and would draw him a $67,500 salary if he plays in the minors next season.

Michael Russo has covered the National Hockey League since 1995. He has covered the Minnesota Wild for the Star Tribune since 2005, after 10 years of covering the Florida Panthers for the Sun-Sentinel. He uses “Russo’s Rants” to feed a wide-ranging hockey-centric discussion with readers, and can be heard weekly on KFAN (100.3 FM) radio and seen weekly on Fox Sports North.